Clinical Evaluation and Therapeutic Outcome in Hirsutism
April 2012
TLDR The study concluded that hirsutism is most common in women aged 14 to 48, often caused by PCOS, and can be effectively treated with Nd YAG laser and IPL.
The 2012 study "Clinical Evaluation and Therapeutic Outcome in Hirsutism" by Subha R. involved 73 patients and aimed to understand the prevalence, associated factors, etiology, and treatment outcomes of hirsutism. Hirsutism, the presence of coarse hairs in women in a male-like distribution, was found to be most common in the age group of 14 to 48 years. The most common skin finding was acanthosis nigricans (31.5%), followed by acne (17.8%) and androgenetic alopecia (15%). Infertility was seen in 12.2% of cases, diabetes mellitus with hypertension in 9.6%, and obesity in 28%. The most common cause was idiopathic hirsutism (53%), followed by polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) (31.5%). Menstrual irregularities were found in 48% of patients due to PCOS, hypothyroidism, and Cushing’s syndrome. The study also evaluated the efficacy of Nd YAG laser and IPL in treating hirsutism, with 70% of patients showing a good response in both treatment groups. No difference in hair removal efficacy was found between PCOS and non-PCOS patients.
